The Hunter Chronicles
by KasaraKatanara
Summary: Veiden Mills is a high school teen who doesn't take life or his elder brother seriously. One day, his life is dramatically changed when he steps through a rift; a sort of portal that leads into hell. He is then introduced to a secret world...one where Hunters hope to kill demons and re-create heaven.
1. Veiden Mills

"It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell." -Buddha

Chapter #1 : Veiden Mills

Friday, another boring day at Cove Senior Secondary School. English, Math, Chemistry, and thankfully Drama. This is my favourite class, and it gives me a chance to outshine all my other fellow students and prove to them that I'm not just a useless batch of meat that sits alone in the corner everyday.

"Veiden?" A voice calls out to me while I'm walking down the hallway. It's Jessica, a rather annoying red head with freckles who keeps trying to go out with me. Apparently, she finds me interesting. Which pisses me off because i don't want people to think that I'm interesting, let alone think anything about me, EVER.

"I was wondering, do you want to hang out today? There a new coffee shop opening up on Brier Avenue, apparently they've gotten great revues" Ok, i may find this fifteen year old extremely annoying, but it doesn't mean that I'm going to act like a jerk. So like always, i just smile kindly and say-

"I'm sorry Jessica, but I'm busy today, my elder brother needs me to help him with his RCMP assessment papers" Jessica frowns when she realizes i am once again brushing her off. "He's still doing that?' No...he's actually already been accepted, but i won't tell her that.

"Ya, you know how this stupid government shit goes." I smile awkwardly. "They can take as long as they want and it won't effect them in anyway. So him and i continue to be patient and struggle through it."

"Oh...ok..." She turns around and begins to walk away. "Well tell your elder sibling i said good luck"

"I will!" No i wont... "Take care Jessica" I walk over to my locker (which has a new batch of ill-mannered graffiti on it) and stuff my binders into it's depths. I then grab my black long board, and ride it down the hallway. This isn't allowed obviously, but there are no teachers around and the hallways are so huge that it's easy to pass by all the annoying teenage drones. God, i hate this place. They shove knowledge down your throat and try there hardest to pretend they actually care about what you do when you grow up. Pathetic, i just want to get out of here so i can pursue my long boarding career and race in the big leagues.

Cove Senior Secondary is just holding me down.

2:30, i finally make it back home. Well, i wouldn't really call it a home. It's more like a shitty old square brown shack that abodes me and my brother. It doesn't have hot water (Due to our inability to pay the hydro bill) and I'm pretty sure there's a rat infestation down in the basement we never use...yep, home sweet home.

"Veiden!" I have just finished walking through the door, and as always, my elder brother is waiting to give me loads of angry hell. I know that my principle called him today, and i know that he knows I've been skipping class to hang out at the smoke pit.

"What's up Grisham?" My elder sibling hates being called by his first name, he prefers Grish. So i say this just to piss him off. He ignores it though.

"Smoking?!" He says exasperated. "I thought you knew better than that Veiden. I thought you where smart!" I take this as a serious insult. "I am smart! I'm smart enough to not give a shit about what other people think. I want to smoke, so i do. It's a simple as that!"

"Are you doing it to be like all the other cool kids?!"

"Cool kids don't smoke Grish, they hang out at school everyday and do there homework and make friends-" I throw my shoes off and skillfully chuck them into the closet.

"Then why do it Veiden? Why skip classes to smoke? It makes no sense!"

"Like i said Grisham, because i can..."

He frowns at my stubborn responses. Clearly, he doesn't understand the way my mind works. "Your going to stop being a juvenile Veiden, i mean it-"

"Or what? Your not my father Grish-"

"No, I'm not, but i am your elder brother, and your legal guardian. So what i say goes." I grind my teeth together angrily. "Whatever..." I brush him off and throw my long board on the ground. I then try to get past him and walk up the stairs, but he stops me by grabbing my elbow with his firm hand.

"That wasn't an answer Veiden"

"Ya, no shit Sherlock" He furrows his eyebrows, clearly trying to stop his rising anger.

"I don't want to fight with you Veiden" I send him a cocky smile. "Ya, me neither, that's why I'm trying to leave. So let go." Grish knows that this is a warning. But he doesn't let go. Instead he sends me a depressive stare that actually makes me feel a little bit guilty...

"I just want you to not make mistakes Veiden. Your very intelligent. All the way up to grade ten you got perfect tiers, I don't know what went wrong, but i just want you to try and gain back that potential and-"

"You want me to sit around in class and be a good little boy? Get perfect grades, and a high class job like you and father?"

"No..." he shakes his head. "I want you to be happy, and I know that what your doing now, won't achieve that wish."

"I'm happy doing what i want to." I reply, and he lets go of my arm.

"No, your not."

I wake the next morning. Late for school. Like usual. I get a pair of blue skinny jeans on and place a black t-shirt on my upper half. I then walk downstairs, and grab a red fashionable scarf from the closets many hangers.

"Grish? Are you home?"

No answer

I smile wide. Sense he's not home to get me in trouble, i don't have to go to school today. Grish work's a twelve hour shift from two in the morning till two in the afternoon. Then he sleeps for the rest of the day, unless he's awake to get me in trouble.

I walk into the kitchen and make myself a rather disgusting fried egg. As i cook, i look around at the photos on the white walls. Most of them are of Grish and I. A particular photo, which was shot two weeks ago, catches my eye. Grish has his arm around my shoulder and where standing in front of Vancouver's rotating restaurant. Grish is twenty five years old, with medium long brown hair and blue eyes. He has a little bit of facial hair, his smile is wide, and he's wearing his usual black leather jacket and baggy jeans combo. I have shorter hair than my brother. It's pure black, has a straw like consistency, and sweeps to the side in a rather emo fashion. My eyes are also dark brown, and in the picture I'm wearing black skinny jeans and a white t-shirt. I have a rather round and baby like face, Grish is the opposite. His face is squared and more manlier than mine.

"I look pissed off..." I mumble to myself as I finish cooking. I sit down, eat my food, then idly slouch over to the closet and put my shoes on. I think I'm going to meet up with my friend Rob. He doesn't go to school anymore, he graduated, and lives by himself. Sense I'm in grade twelve i suppose I'll be doing the same soon. Just thinking about it makes me wild with excitement.

I lock the door and ride down the street on my long board. It takes twenty minutes to get to Rob's house, and once I'm standing in his driveway. I knock on his door loudly.

"You home Rob?!" I yell, and the door is flung open. On the other side he flashes me a hefty grin and sweeps his blonde hair away from his eyes.

"Veiden Mills? Well damn, I haven't seen you for a long fucking time kiddo!" I smile when he calls me kiddo. Sense I'm only sixteen years old, Rob see's me as an underling. To be honest, I'm completely fine with that. He ushers me inside and i throw my shoes off.

"Make yourself comfortable! Do you want a drink?" I nod quickly. "That's one of the reason's why I'm here"


	2. A Rift In Reality

I ride home with a little bit of difficulty. Back at Rob's place, things got a little out of hand, and i drank around five cans of Old Milwaukee. Way to much for me...I'm underweight, and the alcohol has rushed through my system faster than a cheetah on steroids.

"Just put one foot in front of the other Veiden..." I do as i tell myself and ride through the darkness of the city. The only thing lighting my way is a few street lights...which are flickering on and off...

"Huh?"

I stop my long board, and look around rather confused. The street lights are blinking and when one turns off, another turns back on. It's reminding me of mores code.

Whatever...i get on my long board and continue to ride. But i have a bad feeling, no matter where i go the lights flash and I have the impression that I'm being followed.

Thankfully, i make it to my house in a few more minutes and stumble up the driveway. I raise my hand to open the door, but it opens up for me. I think that it might have been magic, but it's just Grish...and he looks PISSED off.

"Where the hell have you been?!" Grish screams at me terrified and pulls me into the house. He's being so rough with me that i actually fall down flat on my ass in the boot room. Grish doesn't notice, he just slams the door shut and locks it tightly.

"What are ya freakin out about?" I slur. "I'm only a little bit past my curfew..."

"A little!" He mocks. "It's 1:00 in the morning Veiden. Your curfew is at 9:00!" I actually gasp when he tells me this. Has it really been that long?

"Oh..." I say oddly "I uh...didn't know that..." He almost growls at me, and I imagine Grish launching forward and strangling my neck.

"Obviously not, you where to busy getting wasted at Rob's house!" The tone of his voice is annoying the hell out of me. So i stand up and yell back at him-

"Stop acting like your my fucking parent, stop pretending like you care!"

"I do care!" He screams back. "And I put that curfew up for a reason. It's dangerous at night. You can't be walking around alone when-" I cut him off. "I'm sixteen years old Grish! In a month I'll be seventeen and graduated. You can't boss me around forever."

"I'm not bossing you around Veiden! I'm protecting you!"

"From WHAT!?"

"..."

We stare at each other for a few moments. "From yourself." He answers sternly. "Your reckless, and childish, it's as simple as that. You don't know what the real world is like, your naive."

This actually hurts me, and i answer him rudely. "Maybe i am..." I take a deep breath in.

"But your not like mom and dad where, you never will be! They where perfect, and you'll never be able to have the success that they had! Your just a sham! And a fucking heartless coward!" When i scream this at Grish, it sends all his rage over the top. He jumps forward, rests his forearm against my throat, and slams me into the wall right beside the closet.

"I've done more for you than you can possibly imagine Veiden. Everything I tell you, everything i do, Mom and Dad would have it done twice over."

"..." I go silent. "Then why aren't they here?"

"Huh?" He loosens his grip, and i whimper out my next sentence.

"If they would have done the same thing, why aren't they here to do it? Where are they huh?" I tear up. "If what your doing is there fucking job, then why aren't they doing it? They should be here shouldn't they?" A few tears fall and my voice cracks. "They shouldn't have died. Mom and Dad should be right next to us, proving that what we do is right!"

"Veiden, please don't-"

"Don't what?!" I shove him away. "Don't make a point? Don't say what should have been said a long time ago? Mom and Dad died because of us, and neither you, or I, will ever amount to what they should have become." I throw my arms in the air sarcastically "So fuck it all that's what i say. One day you and I are going to end up just like them. Two body's rotting in the ground. So why should i care how late i stay out? Or what grades i get? Or if i get lung cancer? Nobody will care in the end. Nobody will remember."

Grish shakes his head mournfully. "That's not true Veiden, people care."

"Well when I'm gone they won't care...and neither will you."

"Veiden please-" I don't listen to him though, i just walk past him and up the stairs.

"Our parents death wasn't our fault Veiden..." He mumbles to me. "And your more important than you could possibly imagine"

I don't sleep, and when Grish gets ready for work at 2:00 in the morning, i decide to go downstairs and meet up with him. I know that i should apologize, but when i reach the bottom of the stair case...something stops me...Grish is talking on the phone with somebody, and he doesn't sound happy.

"Don't take my warning's lightly Heirendel. More and more rifts have been appearing around town, and your apprentices aren't ready for-" The voice on the other end cuts him off. What does Grish mean by rifts? And who is Heirendel?

"This is my business Heirendel. This city is under the protection of my guild, not yours, and the apprentices don't understand that they threaten to let our secret out every time they enter a rift in reality. We need more seniors down here to close them quickly. Apprentices just won't do the job right" The voice named Heirendel yells at Grish again, and I'm hiding behind the wall really confused.

"Don't bring my little brother into this conversation" Grish almost yells at Heirendel. "I'll make sure he doesn't find out. I've been able to keep this a secret ever sense our parents died."

"..."

"Yes, i know Veiden will find out eventually. But not now, not when so many rifts have been appearing so close to our home. I'll tell him after he's graduated."

"..." I can tell Grish is getting annoyed at Heirendel. He begins to pace back and forth along the kitchens perimeter.

"Please Heirendel, retreat the apprentices and send it the seniors. We can't take any more risks"

"..."

"Yes sir."

Grish slams the phone down on the receiver and curses under his breath. "That fool, he has no idea what he's doing..."

He grabs a black bag from off the table (Where is his cop equipment?) and slings it over his shoulder. Then for some reason, he walks into the living room, down another hallway, and towards the basement door. He twists it just to make sure it's locked, and then walks out the front door.

"what the hell was that?" I mutter to myself after Grish leaves. I have so many questions, and i don't know if i should confront Grish about it when he gets home. I decide to leave it all alone for now, and try to fall back asleep. I'm not going to school today (Because of my hangover, duh) But I'll make sure I'm awake when Grish gets home. I curl up under the covers, but i just keep repeating old nightmares, and the conversation that Grish had continues to echo in my brain.

"Veiden, hey, wake up!"

I slowly open my eyes and stare at Grish. He seems concerned, and i utter words of profanity while siting up in bed.

"What do you want? Are you gonna get me in trouble again?" Grish shakes his head side to side. "No, I'm taking you somewhere" I frown and know this has something to do with last nights conversation with Heirendel. "Oh? Where are we going?"

"Not we, you. I'm taking you to Aunt Gemima's house."

"What? Why?" Grish pulls out a lie. "She called and said she wanted to spend the weekend with you. She also said sense your graduating, she's going to take you shopping for an expensive present"

Ok, this lie is pretty convincing. But it definitely leaves a bad taste in my mouth. After our mother (her sister) died. She avoided us at all costs. Now she's suddenly trying to ass-kiss the two of us? I'm not buying it. But i pretend i do.

"Fine, I'll pack up some clothes"

"Good"

"But where will you be Grish?"

"Working and here, at home." He begins to walk out of my room. "Where leaving right away." I nod my head as he closes the door.

Ya, something is definitely going on...

I get dressed into a long sleeved black and white striped shirt. Then put on black skinny jeans. I pack a weeks worth of clothing, accessories, my i-pod, my sketch book, and an extra pair of shoes. I meet Grish in the kitchen.

He already has his shoes on, and looks over at me plainly. "Alright Veiden, let's go"


	3. The Southern Hell

Aunt Gemima's house is your typical old lady accommodation. She has a tiny square TV, no wifi, dial up, and a lot of bran based food. We just finished having supper together, and Aunt Gemima and I are sitting in the living room together watching a soup opera. The acting in this show is so bad, i actually feel like shooting myself in the face.

"Aunt Gemima?" She turns her head towards me. "Yes kiddo, what is it?" There it is again...the nickname kiddo. For some reason when people say this it makes me feel innocent and good about myself. I smile kindly.

"I'm not feeling very good Auntie. Is it alright if i go to bed early?"

"Of course hun." She points her finger behind her towards the hallway. "Your room is at the back and to the left. Have a nice sleep, alright kiddo?" She ruffles my black hair and i give her a curt "thank you". It's odd that she's being so nice to me. Is it possible that Aunt Gemima is apart of my elder brothers secret? It wouldn't surprise me if she was.

Once in my room, i lock the door and look over at the window. I grab the extra pair of shoes i packed, and slip them on before hoping out the glass opening. I smile once i land on the ground. It's getting dark, so i walk with a steady pace down the highway. It takes me an hour to get into the city, and by then it's almost 9:00 at night. I estimate that it will be 10:00 by the time i get home. So i decide to take a short cut that i use rather frequently. It's a dirty pathway that cuts through a tiny section of abandoned family corporations. I feel confident while walking in the seclusion of the alley. It's nice, to be alone like this and not have to worry about other people.

"_Shhhfffff"_

I pause, and look around rather confused. I'm almost at the end of the abandoned walkway. But something feels different. The walls are darker, the ground feels loose, and the sky is now the colour of blood. I decide to try and ignore it. I can see the street ahead of me, and if i can get into the public eye, I'll feel better about-

"_Shhhhffff" _

There's that sound again! It's like skin rubbing against fabric! I continue to walk, but the area around me seems to keep changing little by little...the garbage cans look like there melting, the bricks begin to ooze something dark red, and the rooftops begin to morph into odd shapes. My breath hitches in my throat, sweat clings to my brow, and my heart is hammering against my chest. I run as fast as i can, there's no fucking way I'm staying in this alleyway! As i dash towards the street, i think to myself that there was something in Aunties cooking that was doing this to me. Was the bran expired? No, rotten food didn't make the walls around you bleed blood.

"Help!" I scream. It's a typical horror movie moment. But then again I'm not acting in a blockbuster film, I'm in real life, and help is exactly what i need right now, because my surrounding just keeps getting more horrifying. I can now see little shadows shaped like creatures lining themselves against the walls. They all turn they're eyes to me, and i see sharp, snow white teeth bare themselves at me.

"Get me out of this alley!" I keep running...but no matter what i do i can't reach the ending. I'm in an infinite run cycle, and there's nothing i can do to stop the horror.

"_Hehehahaha"_

Someones cackle echoes along the walls...no...there not walls anymore. There covered with sticky, hot, bright red blood. I gasp, and look up to see that the sky is filled with spider webs. I can perceive unknown creatures with demented body's crawling across them, and i feel bile rising up in the back of my throat. I stop running, and collapse onto my knees...I'm so scared...I'm so scared...I'm so scared! I always read in books that in situations like this, it's human nature to fight or flight. But my body does neither, it just gives up and succumbs to absolute terror. I close my eyes...trying as hard as i can to will it all away.

"Is that a human?" A gnarled, disgusting voice that bubbles and chokes begins to speak. I grind my eyes tighter, and try to shut everything out. But it's no use.

"Yes, it's another human" The second voice reminds me of female nails screeching across a fifty year old chalkboard...

"Is it a hunter?" The first asks.

"No. It doesn't have a spirit weapon." The second replies.

"Do you think it's a trainee?"

"No...it's just a new meal for us to devour..."

"Kehehehe" The laugh sends shivers down my spine, and tears well up in my eyes. I look upwards horrified, and whimper when i realize that my surrounding has completely changed.

I'm keeling on a thin, plain red field with dead, rotten body's sticking out of it. I look side to side. To my left is a sea of blood that stretches on till forever, and covering the waters surface is the same web like material that blankets the sky. To my right, i see a huge black hill made out of body parts which stretches on to oblivion. Then, in front of me, i see a forest which has bloody intestines hanging from it's branches. There are creatures moving within the darkness, and they're beady yellow eyes stare directly at me. I can see pairs of teeth to, drooling and hungering for my flesh.

"no..." I mutter under my breath so quietly i can barely hear it. "Were am i? Where am I?" I'm...I'm...I'm so confused..."

I look at my hands and knees...only a few inches away, poking out of the ground, is a rotten head with sunken in black eyes. A cockroach jumps out of it's mouth, and i leap backwards, only to land right on my ass.

"...I'm in hell..."

"Yes, that's correct boy. Your in hell. The southern realm of Hell, to be politically correct"

I shake my head, and i feel like everything I'm holding in my bowels is about to come loose.

"Don't tell the brat anything, let's just eat him! He looks mighty tasty!" I stand up on shaky legs, and back away from the forest in front of me. But when i move it moves, and i can't get rid of the darkness's whispering doom.

"Wait..." A new voice whispers from the thick oak trees. "Is that...Veiden Mills?" All the voices fall quiet. "It is! That's Veiden! Grishams little brother!"

I gasp, how do these creatures know who i am? "Yesss...that's the brat with the special spirit. Kehehe, He's going to taste delicious..."

A tear streams down my face, and i watch as hands thin as paper and sharp as knives crawl from the depths of the forest. I open my mouth wide...and when one of them grab my ankle. I scream bloody murder.

"Help me! Please somebody!" I try to run but the hand is gripping on to tight. I fall down, and dig my fingers into the wet earth. "Let go please!" I continue to scream and cry while i pull myself through the dirt. More shadow hands grip my body, and in one last ditch effort. I grab onto one of the dead body's sticking out of the round and hold on tightly. It's disgusting...i can feel tiny bugs between my finger tips, and rotten flesh clogs the inside of my nails.

"He's putting up a fight"

"Just what i would expect from Grishams little brother"

A shadow hand covers mine. I can feel it's unnatural frigid exterior chill me to the bone. It pry's my fingers from the dead body, and I'm lifted up into the air.

"Ahhhh!" I scream and thrash around in the arms of my captors. I feel as if I'm getting hypothermia all over my body, and spasms of fear rock my mind, making more tears stream down my cheek bones.

"Kill him kill him!"

The hands begin to tighten, and it's difficult to breath. "...please don't..." i whimper.

"Hahaha, he's begging for his life!"

"This is amazingly entertaining!"

"Let's make sure we kill him slowly!"

My vision begins to fade, and i think i hear my rib cadge snapping apart...this is it, I'm a goner. I always knew i was going to die one day, but this is not how i imagined it. Now I'll never be able to tell Grish how much he meant to me, I won't be able to achieve any of my dreams or goals...I...I'm so fucking pathetic...

"_SLASH!"_

My depressing inner monologue is cut short. Now I'm falling through the air, and i slam up against the ground with a heavy thud. Somebody has cut me loose...I'm free!

I smile wide with tears running down my face. I need to leave, now! I look up at the person who cut the shadow hands and freed me. "Thank you so mu-"

I stop talking...and stare up at the monster before me...


	4. Lord Syd and the Hunters

"Oh? So you think i did that to save you?...how unfortunate."

The monster has arms and legs longer than a truck, thinner than a stick, and colder than an iceberg. It's skin is pure white, and blood trickles from it's fingernails. The creature has a large body that is human, but it's hunched over, disgusting, and wrong. I can see it's spine ripping from it's back, it's legs are twisted the wrong way, they look like they belong on a wolf...I examine it's face. The area is round, bald, and has no ears. A wide mouth grins from one side of it's face to another, and i notice pieces of rotten flesh between the sharp rows of teeth. The monster has no nose...and it's eyes...no, it doesn't have eyes. It has two black circular holes that seem to be bleeding some type of grey puss. The monsters neck is long and thin, i can see blue and black veins moving underneath it's thin layer of skin...

I'm at a loss for words...i just sit there on the bright red ground feeling an incomprehensible amount of terror and fear. The monster laughs at me, and as it slowly reaches it's bony hand towards my face, i piss myself while weeping rivers of tears.

"Poor boy..." It whispers while stroking it's forefinger against my cheek. "Your going to die here, and you'll never know what sort of potential you could have had as a hunter. It's a pity, you have such a powerful soul, i would have loved to see it turned into a weapon...oh well..."

The monster wraps it's hand around my throat. "At least i got to see you with my own eyes before i ripped you apart." I open my mouth to scream again, but it's no use. This creature is stronger than the previous ones, and it lifts me up like I'm lighter than a feather. I kick my feet through thin air, and scratch my dirty and bloody hands against it's arm.

"I'm lord Syd, king of this realm. I'm stronger than any other creature imaginable, and you won't be able to escape. But please, if it satisfies you, struggle until you can no longer move. I have no problem with that." I look at Syd like a defeated and beaten animal. "no...don't...please..." I beg. This greatly amuses Syd, and he lifts me up so close to his face, i can smell dead meat and rotten body parts.

"I've been watching you from this realm for quiet a while Veiden, And unlike your elder brother Grisham, your all bark and no bite. Seems i was wrong to put such a high priority on you." He squeezes my throat violently, then lifts up his other arm. "I can still put you to some use though. Entertain me, will you?" He takes his knife like fingers, and stabs them into my right shoulder. I open my mouth wide while i feel the skin between my bones part and leak excessive amounts of blood. "Ahhh!" I scream again. "That's better" He says happily. "You respond well to pain Veiden, good." He begins to twist his hand to the side, but something stops him-

"Hey! Syd! Drop that human!"

I can barely see through my tears, but i can tell that to my left, is another person...oh thank god. Somebody is here to help me! Please, help me!"

"A hunter?" Syd tilts his head to the side, still smiling. "But your only an apprentice, you shouldn't be in this area. Didn't your master teach you any better? Little brat-"

"I don't have time for your mockery. I'm here to kill you Syd!" The hunters voice is male and full of confidence. But how can he be so calm in the midst of pure horror?

"I said...let him go!"

There's a large gust of wind, and the hunter is suddenly in mid air, right beside Syd's outstretched arm.

"You use wind soul magic? Interesting-" Syd says this calmly, and lets go of me to avoid getting his arm chopped off by the hunters thin samurai sword. I once again fall down onto the ground, which knocks the air out of my lungs. I lie there for a few moments with my eyes closed. I hope that when i open them, everything will be gone, and I'll wake up in my room safe and sound. But when i open them back up. I am greeted by a viscous battle between the hunter and Syd.

The hunter has a shaved head with a backwards baseball hat over it. He has an arrogant grin and vibe around him. I gasp at his eyes, which are an unnatural emerald colour. Syd swings his large arm at the hunter, and he blocks it with his silver samurai blade. The impact is to much for the hunter to handle though, and he fly's towards me. I don't have time to react, he slams into me, and we both land on top of each other in the blood stained grass.

"Get out of my way human!" He yells at me in arrogance. If i wasn't so terrified right now, i would have told him where he could shove it.

"Please" I say while staring at him innocently. "Help me, get me out of here. I'm begging you" He rolls his eyes. "Ya ya, I'll help you soon. Just stay put and let me kill Syd-" The hunter is completely oblivious to my terror. He must be used to this hell, and doesn't understand what it's like for me. He's completely credulous.

"Your a foolish apprentice" Syd hisses from behind us. "Now you'll both die!" He raises his hand in the air, and try's to slam it over top of our body's to squish us. But the hunter reacts quickly, he grabs me by the waist, and leaps both of us out of the way. The ground where we previously resided explodes on impact, and it's only now that i notice how unnaturally strong Syd is. The hunter put's me back down on the ground. I stare up at him, and then grip my trembling hand around his elbow. "Please listen to me-" I say. "Get me out of this place...I'm begging you-" The hunter grinds his teeth together in frustration. "Would you just shut your fucking mouth for two sec-"

Blood explodes around us...and all i can do is watch and weep. While the hunter was yelling at me, Syd had jumped towards us and stabbed his arm through his gut. Chunky, dark red intestines fall to the ground, and the hunters heart lands only two inches away from my left arm...great, now I'll never escape. Syd doesn't say anything, and he drops the hunters body to the ground. He doesn't seem happy, and he looks behind me and frowns.

"More apprentices are coming. What a bother. Oh well, i suppose you get to live another day Veiden" He looks down at me. "Just remember though, the next time we see each other, I'll tear off your limbs one by one, and rib your heart out trough your throat. By then, you'll be greeting death with open arms..." Syd turns around, and walks into the forest.

I sit still for a few moments, traumatized, and probably scarred for life. Everything around me has gone numb, and i notice that I've fallen into a state of shock. One from which is impossible to escape.

"_Whoosh" _

I turn around to see what made the sound, and i look at it numbly. What seems to be a portal has opened a few feet above the ground. It has the shape of a claw mark, and beautiful violet and chromatic swirls edge around it's depths. Suddenly, a hand pokes through, then a leg. Soon another hunter has stepped through it's midst, two more follow. All of them have deadly weapons hanging off there waists in holsters. One is a blonde haired female, the other two are male's with matching black hair and eyes. They must be twins.

"Where the hell did Erin go?" The only female says confused. I realize that she's talking about the hunter that was just killed. But she won't find him right away, because he's blending in with all the other dead body's on the hill.

She looks down at me, and gasps. "There's the human where supposed to save! Grab him quickly!" She runs towards me and her blonde hair swishes back and forth off her shoulders. When she reaches me, I let her pat my head and stroke the back of my neck gently. She reminds me of a mother consoling her wounded child. It makes me cry even more.

"Poor guy. You must be terrified. I always forget how traumatizing it is to see hell for the first time." I don't say anything, I've gone completely numb. I can't even say help me anymore. "We just need to find our friend, then we'll get you out of here-"

"Friend?" One of the black haired twins say. "Eric isn't our friend, in fact, i hope he died in here! That moron is a fucking jack-ass, running through the void recklessly, saying he's going to kill Syd-"

"We where going to kill Syd!" The blonde replies. "Ya, together." He answers back sternly. The second black haired twin speaks. "I can't sense his spirit aura or weapon, Eric is most definitely dead" The blonde frowns. "You two take on the idea of death so easily. It's depressing." The first black haired twin smiles wide. "All hunters get used to the idea of death. Eric was reckless, and he got himself killed, it's as simple as that. If you can't cut it as a hunter, you don't deserve to live-" He points his finger. "As for the emotional human, we need to get him out of here. The smell of his flesh and spirit will attract demons-" The blonde looks over at me with eyes full of understanding. Is she the only one around here who isn't a freak?

"Can you move?"

"..." I say nothing, i just stare at her wide eyed. It's difficult for me to think...all i can do is take in my surroundings. The blonde teenager turns towards the twins "He's fallen into a state of shock, like the others."

"Do all humans act so petrified? It's kinda annoying, seeing them all weep and cry every time they-" Blondie growls at him. "Shut up Joel, and help me get this kid on his feet-" He sighs, and pulls out a gun from his side pocket. "I'd love to help, but i want to kill some demons instead-"

"Joel! We have a job to do! Where apprentices, we save humans!" She screams.

"As if i care!" He yells back. "Heirendel say's killing demons is more important than saving humans, and i stand by that statement. You guys can deal with weeping willow over there, I'm going hunting"

I shake my head at him. Is he really this stupid? Can't he see how scared I am? Why can't he comprehend the naturalism of my reaction!?

"Joel! Soloman! Gabriel! Get back into the human world now!"

All the of the teenagers look around at the portal shocked. Somebody is on the other side, ordering them into the human world.

"Dammit...where in trouble now..." Blondie (Gabriel), mutters to Joel and Soloman. "Shut up Gabriel!" Joel walks towards me, grabs me by the elbow, and hoists me up on my feet. I am instantly ashamed of myself, because there is a major piss stain on the front of my pants, and blood soaks me from head to toe. I feel nauseous when he drags me to the portal to. Because of the wound in my shoulder, I'm having serious blood loss problems.

"Be gentle with him!" Gabriel yells while I'm pushed into the blinding light. "Can't you see how injured and frightened he is?" Her pleas fall upon deaf ears. Joel throws me onto the cement ground, and i stay there. I can't even celebrate the fact that I'm back on earth. I'm to busy letting darkness consume my mind...I...I think I'm going to pass out...I can't see, i can't feel my body...

"Joel, didn't Heirendel teach you to be kind to humans?! There not used to what hell looks like! Don't you remember the first time you laid eyes on it? Heirendel stuck you in the trauma centre for two weeks!"

"Ya, and i got over it."

"Your just as cold hearted and arrogant as he is!"

"Oh, is there something wrong with that Gabriel? Heirendel may be harsh, but he's always right. Unlike your master. Who's a kind and pathetic fool."

"My master Grisham isn't a pathetic fool!"

"..."

I open my eyes while slowly getting up on my hands and knees. I look up at her completely bewildered ...Grisham...Grisham? That's my brother...did she just say my elder brother was her master?

"Joel, Gabriel, Soloman, there you are!" A shadow figure jumps down from the roof, and i can tell by his voice...the way he holds himself... the demanding way he talks...there's no mistaking who he is...

"Grisham?"


	5. A New Home

Grisham looks at me oddly for just a few brief seconds, then, when he see's that the human the apprentices where saving was me. His eyes go wide with shock. He leaps forward, pushes the apprentices away, and gets on his knees beside me. Grish is wearing a long black coat, so he pulls it off and wraps it around me, trying to stop my body from shaking so violently.

"Veiden, are you alright?!" It's a dumb question. Obviously I'm not alright, infact, I'm as far away from being ok as possible. "What are you doing here?" He asks me with a soft tone. "You should be at Aunt Gemima's house" He gulps down a woad of saliva created by nervousness while he examines my shoulder wound. Grish lifts a torn piece of fabric off my body, and gasps at the nasty sight of my split open skin.

"Who did this to you Veiden? Can you tell me?" He raises a hand and places it on my head graciously.

"Can you hear me Veiden?" Gabriel calls out-

"He's in shock master, i don't think he'll be able to talk for a while" Grish looks at me sadly. "Dammit, out of all the people to accidentally enter a void...I sent you to Aunt Gemima's place to keep them away from you. Guess it didn't work."

He comforts me by wiping my tears away with his black sweater sleeve. As he does this, another shadow jumps off of the same building Grish did. It's a female adult, a VERY beautiful adult with long dark blue hair that reaches past her shoulders. She has equally blue eyes, and bright red lipstick with pale white skin. She's wearing a dark blue and black fall jacket, and black boots that go up to her knees. She reminds me of snow white from the old fairy tales.

"Grisham? Is that your little brother?"

Her voice is soft and polite. She holds her hand up to her mouth in shock. "Jesus, what happened to him?" She rushes forward, and looks down at me. "Why was he in the void so long? What were the apprentices doing?" She turns to look at them, and as she does, the guilty look on there faces makes the answer clear.

"You all have one job. We tell you when a human has slipped into a void, and you retrieve them, **immediately**. You don't go off and fight demons, you don't take your sweet ass time, and you don't slack off, it's as simple as that!" Gabriel is the only one who nods at the blue haired woman in understanding. In fact, i can see tears forming in Gabriel's eyes. The other two just don't look like they give a shit.

"I'm so sorry Amya. We where reckless, and stupid. We wanted to use the human as bait and wait till Lord Syd showed up, we wanted to end his life once and for all! But, Eric ran away, he was to hasty, and we went looking for him instead of saving the human. I'm so sorry!-" Amya frowns at them, and Grisham stops taking care of me. He sends a horrifying glare there way. "Where **is** Eric?"

The three of them gulp, and Gabriel starts to cry. Surprisingly, it's me who gives the answer.

"Dead-" I say plainly. My eyes now look like they belong to a dead mans, and i stare down at my bloody hands. "Syd was going to kill me, and Eric tried to stop him. He's dead...he's dead.." The tears reaper. "I saw it! With my own two eyes i saw it happen! His guts were pulled out of his stomach and i watched him die!" Grisham tries to calm me down by ushering words of assurance and rubbing the lower, uninjured part of my shoulders, but it's not working. I begin to hyperventilate.

"Grisham, let me take over." Amya get's down on her hands and knees next to us. "Please open up a portal that leads to hunter HQ, were taking you brother to the nurses office-" She sends a final glare to the apprentices. "And send them to the Masters Quarters. Heirendel will get them a punishment-" Grish gives me one more sad look, then nods at Amya "No, they won't be punished. Heirendel isn't smart enough to do that" He stands up and pulls out a tiny blue orb from his front pocket, he glares at Joel and Soloman, but not at Gabriel.

"Dry your tears Gabriel, I'm not angry. You know what you did was wrong, that's all you need to understand, and i know you won't make the same mistake again. Your smart enough not to. Correct?"

She nods her head quickly. "I won't do it again teacher, promise!"

"Good..." He pats her on the head kindly, and throws the tiny gem onto the cement. This time, a pure blue portal appears, and Grish grabs Joel and Soloman. He throws them through it.

"Veiden, i need you to breath slower. Purse your lips, and try to slow down your heart rate. Can you do that for me?" She says this in a voice sweeter than sugar. I do as she says, and purse my lips while trying to breath slower...It's not working. Iv'e burst out into a cold sweat, and my lips are unbearably dry. I clench my hand on my chest, i begin to puke.

"It's ok hun...your going to be ok, just calm yourself, you'll be alright." She says while rubbing my back. Amya leans me forward in an attempt to open my lungs. She tells me that i can let it all out, and i do. I puke a stunning amount of chunky liquid onto the cement, and Amya doesn't even flinch, she just covers up my shoulder wound with Grishams sweater and presses down hard to stop the bleeding.

"Ugh..." I wipe my mouth with my shirt sleeve. The taste in my mouth is horrible, and i can still feel a little bit of nauseousness resting in the pits of my stomach.

"Grish, now that he's done, can you carry him through the portal?" Grish nods, and walks towards us. "Will he be alright?" Grish asks while picking me up bridal style, if i weren't so out of it, i would definitely be embarrassed beyond belief. "Physically? Yes. But mentally? I don't know. Everybody takes there first time seeing hell differently. It effects us all, in one way or another." Grish nods, and we step through the portal...it's at this point that my eyesight begins to fade. I can't see the world around me, and voices dim in and out along the edges of my mind. I can feel only two things. Pain, and confusion. My mind is reeling, and i know that when i wake up. Things won't ever be the same.

"It's ok Veiden..."

Grishams voice whispers into my consciousness just as i pass out.

"Where in a new home now, and you'll be safe here..."

I wake to a melody of chirping created by the songbirds outside my window. My body is in an extreme amount of pain, and the white cloth I'm lying on does nothing to ease this sensation. I stare up at the white roof above me. Carved into it's structure are gorgeous flower patterns and leaf chunks that swirl out and connect with the walls on either side of my bed. I stare at them for a few seconds, completely entranced by the roofs architectural beauty. I moan slightly in pain, and sit up while the feeling of nauseousness returns.

Where am I? I ask myself while rubbing my head, trying to get rid of a pestering headache. I look around me. It's clear I'm in a nurses office. There is an identical white bed beside me with the same white curtain hanging from a rack. A few feet away from these beds, is a desk with lots of medical equipment positioned in varied areas across it's canvass. I frown when i set my eyes upon a poster with an odd sentence...Hunter HQ, your home away from home!

"Hunter...HQ?" I mumble under my breath rather confused, then, the horrifying memories from yesterday flood my mind. The shadow demons, Syd, hunters, hell, all of these retentions have suddenly become vividly clear. I think I'm going to puke again. But two figures entering through the side door by the desk stop me...

"Veiden?" Grisham and Amya walk towards me in a mannerly fashion. Amya, unlike yesterday, is now wearing a white coloured dress with a nurses symbol stitched upon it. Grisham has blue jeans, a black t-shirt, and leather jacket on. I almost roll my eyes at him. Typical.

"Your awake" Amya says exasperated. "Thank god, i was afraid you had fallen into a comma" She smiles kindly and holds the back of her hand against my forehead. I don't say anything. I'm to tired and confused to do so.

"Do you remember what happened?" Grish asks roughly. I nod. "I see..." He sounds rather disappointed, and i can't blame him. It must be hard to learn that your little brother has gone through, and remembered, such a horrible event.

"How are you feeling Veiden?" Amya asks while walking over to her desk, and grabbing a first aid kit. "Your shoulder was fairly damaged. So i took the liberty of stitching it up and giving you a large shot of pain killers. They should have worn off by now..."

I say nothing.

"..." Grisham sighs. He grabs a tiny black stool that was hidden under my bed and sits down on it. Then he looks at me with plain eyes tainted with depression. "You can talk to us Veiden. Your safe now." I want to communicate with them,. I want to talk about where i am, and what kind of creature Syd is. Whats a hunter? Why didn't Grisham tell me about all this earlier? Whats a soul weapon? Who's Heirendel? Whats a rift?

"..." I still don't talk. "Just give him some time Grisham. I'm sure he'll talk eventually" She places the first aid kit on my bed and smiles sweetly.

"Did you know Veiden, that whenever your elder brother talks about you, it's always about how spirited and passionate you are? I doubt that a boy with a personality like yours will be able to sit in silence for long." She pulls out a roll of fresh linen and begins to unhinge the metal slip holding the fabric together. "He says such amazing things about you Veiden, he really does! Grisham is a grouchy old man with a harsh outer core, but he really adores you!" She laughs lightly, and Grisham blushes. My jaw almost drops to the floor. Grish is blushing? And he's not getting pissed at Amya either! Who is this woman? I could never talk so relaxed around Grisham, ever!

"I'll just wrap your wound with some fresh linen for now"

She lifts my white t-shirt to my neck and i set my eyes upon my wound, which has been expertly wrapped. Amya begins to peel off the fabric, and in only a few moments my gashed open shoulder is revealed. I have at least twenty pure black stitches. The wound starts at my collar bone, and ends at the inside of my arm pit.

"It's a brutal wound isn't it?" She says while replacing the old linen. "That's ok though, with my healing expertise, it should be all cleared up in a week or so." I nod. It's all i can manage right now. I will admit, Amya's cheery attitude is clearing away the fear i felt before. I want to say thank you, but it will have to be saved for later.

Amya finishes up, then looks over at Grisham politely. "I think we owe him an explanation Grish. It's only fair, the poor boy must be so confused" Grish mutters a slight "ya" under his breath. He opens his mouth to speak-

"Right now, your in-"

"_Creak..."_

The door slowly opens, and all three of us turn our heads towards it in a rushed manner. A large, burly man with two security guards dressed in armour enter the room. The main man has tanned skin, grey eyes, and short black hair tied in a pig tail. He has dark facial hair, and is wearing a simple dress shirt with a loose tie. Grisham stands up so fast, his seat slams onto the ground. Amya clenches her fists together, and I look at the man terrified. I'm still in danger...aren't I?

"You..." Grish growls. "I told you not to come here..."

"I'm your headmaster Grisham, yet you speak to me with such arrogance." He sneers and stands before Grish challengingly. "You may be a senior Grisham, but you are not all powerful. Just because this victim is your little brother, it does not mean I must be compassionate and comply with your wishes." He nods towards me. "I must ask Veiden a few questions, and-"

"You agreed, didn't you? You agreed to stay away." Grish cuts him off. "I told you that i have this under control. Veiden is my responsibility!" Grish speaks louder than he was before. Amya suddenly chips in from where we reside- "Veiden needs time to recuperate, you can't come in here and drill him with terrifying questions after what he's been through. Have a heart." The man grins a wicked smile, and looks over at me with his face twisted in an odd satisfaction. "What do you think about this Veiden?" He goes silent for a few moments. "Ah, that's right i forgot. You've gone mute. How pathetic" I send a red hot glare his way. Grish speaks. "I'm going to ask him the questions in due time. It's not your job to-"

"Not my job?" He looms over my elder brother. Making him look like a pathetic child. Grish doesn't back down.

"Remember your place Grisham. You became a senior because of pubic vote. Nothing more. You do not have my blessing, and you do not boss me around. You are still just a solider, eager to do what i deem fit. I call the shots, and you are under my command.." Grisham grinds his teeth together in frustration.

"Am i understood?" Grisham nods his head. "Yes sir" He goes to say something else, but i surprise them all by saying-

"Heirendel?"

"..."

Everybody looks over at me because I've finally spoke. "Are you..." I murmur. "Heirendel?"

He smiles wide.

"Yes. I am."


	6. A History Lesson

"I'm surprised you know who I am Veiden. Your very intuitive" He strides past Grisham, then picks up the black stool on the ground. I watch him very carefully. After what I've been through, I'm expecting the worse. Even from seemingly harmless people.

"I heard you and my brother talking on the phone a few days ago..." "Oh?" I nod, and talk in a voice so quiet Heirendel needs to lean forward to hear me.

"You where talking about the apprentices, and how they should be taken away from the voids, and replaced with seniors..."

"It was merely a recommendation-" Heirendel says, directing the insult towards Grish. "Besides, we have more important matters to attend to-" Heirendel crosses his arms and legs.

"I want to tell you everything Veiden. About where you are, what a hunter is, what soul capacity is...unless, you want to be mollycoddled for a week by your comrades until your "prepared" I almost growl at him. He can tell what my answer is. "Good. Then I'll begin with a little history lesson"

"Over a thousand years ago, when the world was first created from spirit aura. Light and Dark fought for power over earth. The dark army contained demons and shadow creatures, while the light army had angels...and us, the hunters." He pauses for a few moments. "Hunters are humans that have the ability to control spirit aura, the energy that flows through the earth, and form it into a weapon. We fought valiantly against the dark, but, they where far stronger than us. The darkness won, and hell was created. Heaven, was erased completely." I gasp.

"There's...no heaven?"

"Not after the great war, no. But us hunters fight to bring heaven back. The only way to do this, is to defeat the king of hell, Lucifer. The only way to get to Lucifer, is by killing all of the demon lords." I tilt my head to the side confused. "What are demon Lords?"

"Demon lords are high class servants of Lucifer, and each one protects a compass location. You've already met one of them...Lord Syd, he's the demon lord of the Southern part of hell. Then there's the northern demon lord, western, and eastern. Once all four of these demon lords are killed, the barrier protecting Lucifer will open, and we can end his life." Heirendel frowns. "But it is not easy to kill a demon lord. We have been fighting Syd in the southern realm for sixty five years without gaining an upper hand..."

Heirendel changes the subject.

"I'm sure you already know what rifts are, but i will explain them to you anyways...A rift is a small tear in reality that leads to hell. Humans wander into these rifts all the time, and it is the job of a hunter apprentice squad to collect these lost humans, and bring them back to earth. Once an apprentice squad has been saving humans for a set amount of time. They will be promoted to seniors. Like your elder brother Grisham" He gestures towards him. "Seniors only hunt demons. And after a year, they can be promoted once again to judge or ruler. A judge sits in the court house along with ten others. They delegate jobs and participate in political debates. Rulers are one step below headmaster, and they can fight both demons and save humans. They have ultimate freedom as a soldier." Heirendel uncrosses his arms, and leans his shoulders on his knees.

"Next. Every hunter has a class. There are healers, like Amya-" He nods towards her. "Close combat specialists, long range specialists, assassins, strategists, mechanics, and guardians."

"What hunter class are you Grisham?" I ask softly. "Guardian." He answers plainly. "What does a Guardian do?" Heirendel decides to answer me.

"A Guardian class uses soul magic that caters to and protects his or her squad members. Grisham, for example, creates different types of shields on the battle field." I look at Grish wide eyed. He's such a harsh spoken and brutal individual, that I imagined him as a close combat specialist...but I suppose sense he's been protecting me his whole life, Guardian would fit him perfectly.

"Finally. I'll tell you about soul capacity." He looks at me with an observant gaze. "Soul capacity is actually the reason why your here in Hunter HQ Veiden, and not back at home with your memory wiped clean...Ever sense this earth was made, humans were born with soul aura inside of them, it's a gift from the earth. Some humans can control soul aura, hence making them hunters, but every hunter can only be as strong as there soul allows them to be. This. Is soul capacity, and you Veiden, have a very powerful one." He smiles. "Your parents knew you had a large soul capacity, and so does your brother. That is why they have tried to keep this part of there lives a secret from you. The larger a persons soul is, the more demons are attracted to them. Your family has been protecting you your whole life, from the one thing that makes you special-" Suddenly, Grisham steps in and shuts Heirendel up.

"We come from a long line of skilled and powerful hunters Veiden. Our great grand parents, aunties, uncles and cousins have all become hunters because of our strong soul capacity's." Grisham suddenly looks like he's going to tear up...and i stare at him solemnly.

"Our parents tried to protect us from this life. They where determined to raise us into the mundane world. Unfortunately, there efforts where in vain, and they died protecting us from demons...Having no other choice. The judges that dwell here told me the truth about our family lineage, and i promised them that i would become a powerful hunter like our parents, and protect you from this life. But just like mom and dad, I've failed."

I look up at him sadly. "I...I would have found out eventually Grish, right?" This is the best i can do to comfort him. He just nods lightly and I ask Heirendel a question.

"How come Grisham is so popular in hell? The demons noticed that I was his brother right away, and they where very surprised. Why is that?"

"Well, Grisham has slain many demons in the southern realm, and has made a name for himself. Demons can also see auras, and yours is almost identical to Grishams. That's why they recognized you." Heirendel stands up slowly. We all stare at him, waiting for more information-

"That's all Veiden. Now you know everything you need to-" I frown at him. I still have questions, and I'm going to get answers. "What do you plan on doing with me now?"

"..." Complete silence falls upon the room.

"That's up to you" Heirendel grins a wicked smile. "You can try to go back to living your normal life, or-"

"Will you erase my memories?" I ask. "No" He replies. "There's no point. This life will follow you wherever you go, there is no escaping it."

"..."

"What is my other choice then? What else can i do?" I already know the answer.

"It's simple Veiden..." Heirendel leans forward. "You become a Hunter."

As soon as Heirendel says this, Grisham yells from behind us- "That won't ever happen! He can't become a hunter, he won't!" Heirendel turns on him savagely.

"This is not your choice Grisham. It is Veidens. You have done your duty and protected him for thirteen years now, it's over-"

"Don't act like you already know what his answer is going to be Heirendel! Why would he want to become a hunter? It's a brutal, violent life. Veiden would never even consider the idea!"

"Back down Grisham." Heirendel scowls "Like i said. This is not your decision. It is his"

Everybody in the room looks at me, and i stare down into my white bed sheet completely baffled.

"I will need to know his answer by morning-" Heirendel says. "That way, he can gain his soul weapon along with the other new apprentices-" Heirendel waves his hand, and his two guards open the door. While Heirendel walks away, he mutters.

"Till tomorrow...Veiden Mills"


End file.
